Dartford-Thurrock Crossing

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the economy of time spent by vehicles waiting to cross the Dartford Crossing; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mole: A study commissioned by the Department for Transport in 2008 aggregated the delays for 2007 and converted them into a monetary sum using published values of time. This calculated the cost of delay at the Dartford Crossing at around £40 million per annum. The initial results of the study can be found at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/capacityrequirements/dartfordrivercrossing
	The aggregate dwell time at the toll facilities is used to match flows to the capacity of the northbound tunnels.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the average time taken by a vehicle to cross the Dartford Crossing; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mole: Between M25 junction 2 and M25 junction 30, which includes the Dartford Crossing the average journey northbound is 10 minutes 11 seconds and 11 minutes 40 seconds southbound. The data used is from August 1 to August 24 2009.

Lorries: Safety

Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the number of unsafe heavy goods vehicles on UK roads which are registered overseas; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce this number.

Paul Clark: holding answer 16 October 2009
	Foreign-registered vehicles represent around 3.5 per cent. of all heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic on Britain's roads. In 2008-09, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) checked 61,000 foreign-registered HGVs and found roadworthiness related concerns with 40 per cent. of them. This compares with 64,800 spot checks on UK registered HGVs where 32.6 per cent. were found to have roadworthiness related concerns.
	The Government have introduced a number of measures to tackle non-compliance with the regulations. We have made an additional £24 million available to VOSA over a three-year period from 2008 to enable them to carry out more enforcement checks on HGVs on international journeys.
	We have also introduced a new scheme to allow the police and VOSA to take on the spot financial deposits from offending drivers with no satisfactory address in the United Kingdom. In the first three months of operation, almost £700,000 has been collected from such drivers.
	In addition, VOSA routinely informs the authorities of other EU member states about offences involving their commercial vehicle drivers.

Manchester-Burnley Railway Line

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what progress has been made in reinstating the Todmorden Curve; and what estimate he has made of the cost of that work.

Chris Mole: Burnley borough council has commissioned Network Rail to carry out a study for the chord (and any other infrastructure changes required) which is due for completion by the end of the year. The study will confirm the expected capital cost, which is currently estimated at £5 million.

Motor Vehicles: Lighting

Brian Iddon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on proposed amendments to the vehicle lighting and construction regulations, which closed on 9 October 2008;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of making retro-reflective markings mandatory on all newly-registered heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes; and what methodology was used to make that estimate;
	(3)  what representations his Department has received from the road haulage industry on the introduction of mandatory retro-reflective markings on newly-registered heavy goods vehicles;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the economic effects on manufacturers and fitters of retro-reflective markings of his Department's decision to postpone making such markings mandatory for all newly-registered heavy goods vehicles.

Paul Clark: A summary of the responses to the consultation will be published at the same time as the statutory instrument amending the lighting regulations so as to provide (among other things) for the new retro-reflective marking requirements. This is expected to be before the end of the year.
	The methodology used to estimate the cost of mandatory conspicuity markings is contained in the impact assessment that accompanied the consultation. This is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2008/regulationsamendments/
	The cost to fit tape to a new vehicle was estimated at between £186 and £388 per vehicle depending on whether simple line marking or full contour marking is used. A seven year life span was assumed, after which the markings would need to be replaced. The total number of new vehicles to be fitted with markings was estimated at 35,821 per year. Using these figures the average cost to fit markings on new vehicles was estimated at approximately £8.8 million per year. Taking into account the additional replacement costs after seven years the estimated annual cost over twelve years was between £16 and £17 million per year depending on the implementation strategy.
	Both the Road Haulage Association and Freight Transport Association (FTA) responded to the original consultation. There has also been regular contact between Department of Transport officials and the FTA to discuss how the regulations would be implemented and to answer technical queries.
	No detailed analysis of the effect on tape manufacturers and fitters of postponing conspicuity marking tape requirements has been carried out. They will, as now, be free to market their products in the period leading up to the mandatory requirement for marking tape in 2011.

Rivers: Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many incidences of  (a) marine,  (b) oil and  (c) other pollution have been recorded in UK waters in each year since 1990 from shipping registered in (i) the UK, (ii) the EU and (iii) other countries; what steps were taken to clean up in each case; what costs were incurred and what fines were levied in each case; by whom these were paid; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: Details of incidences of marine pollution being released from ships in the UK pollution control zone are given in annual reports produced by the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea. Reports for the years 2001 through to 2007 are available on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's website at:
	http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-pollutionresponse/mcga-dops_cp_ environmental-counter-pollution.htm
	The information with regards to the port of registry of the ships is not contained in the Committee's annual report. This information is not available.
	Comprehensive clean-up costs information is not held centrally.

USA

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers have visited the United States on official business in the last 12 months.

Gordon Brown: Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) mobile telephones,  (b) Blackberrys and  (c) laptop computers were issued to staff of his Department in each of the last five years; and how many of these were issued to (i) new staff and (ii) existing staff following the (A) loss or (B) theft of a previous device.

Dan Norris: Details on the specific devices are as follows:
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009- 10 to date 
			 Mobile Handsets Issued 809 364 219 185 59 
			 Mobile Handsets Lost or Stolen 4 4 0 0 3 
			 BlackBerry Handsets Issued 65 128 194 311 104 
			 BlackBerry Handsets Lost or Stolen 1 8 5 12 5 
			 Average number of Laptops on Estate 2,069 2,069 2,069 6,129 7,688 
			 Laptops Lost or Stolen 18 22 13 20 12 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for mobile handsets and BlackBerry devices issued are taken from purchase records and will not include devices issued that have been reused. 2. Figures for lost/stolen Blackberry handsets also include PDAs. 3. DEFRA reporting standards do not record losses and thefts separately nor is information available on whether losses were definitely replaced. 4. Figures for lost and stolen devices reported between 2005-06 and 2007-08 represent core-DEFRA, Animal Health, Natural England and Veterinary Laboratories Agency. From 2008-09 onwards the figure above represents core-DEFRA only. 5. Computers/laptops are paid for via a managed service which is charged for on a usage basis. DEFRA monitors the total volume of kit on the estate (which consists of a user base made up of the core-Department and several agencies/NDPBs) on a monthly basis to calculate charges, rather than how many devices are issued or replaced over time. 6. DEFRA has invested in encryption technology in the laptop and BlackBerry services for all new issues. Over 95 per cent. of the current devices are encrypted. 7. The total PC/laptop kit has reduced overall within DEFRA. The increase in laptop volumes above is due to 'single device' policy that has removed a significant number of desktop PCs in exchange for one corporate laptop per user in order to drive out environmental and mobile working benefits.

Nature Conservation: British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether there are plans to change the responsibilities of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding conservation issues in UK Overseas Territories;
	(2)  what progress has been made by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in developing a coherent strategy to manage biodiversity and promote conservation in the UK Overseas Territories; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how much funding will be made available for the Overseas Territories Challenge Fund as part of the United Kingdom Government's Darwin Initiative in the next 12 months;
	(4)  how much funding the UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean have received under the Darwin Initiative scheme in each year since 2005;
	(5)  how much funding the UK Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic have received under the Darwin Initiative scheme in each year since 2005;
	(6)  what recent measures have been taken to achieve a co-ordinated approach to environmental protection across Government departments in relation to the  (a) UK Overseas Territories and  (b) Crown Dependencies.

Huw Irranca-Davies: There are no plans to change the responsibilities regarding conservation issues in the UK's Overseas Territories.
	The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) was commissioned by the Interdepartmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity (IDMGb) to draft a Government Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the UK Overseas Territories. This was done with the express intention of improving the effectiveness of co-ordination of the UK Government's support for biodiversity in the Overseas Territories. The strategy was announced at a reception on Collaboration on Environmental and Biodiversity Issues in the Overseas Territories, hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) at the end of June.
	The strategy, which is shortly to be published, establishes, inter alia, a partnership of the three participating Government Departments, with JNCC providing the secretariat. The Strategy also establishes that my Department will co-ordinate the work of the partnership with the FCO and the Department for International Development (DFID).
	In addition, an Interdepartmental Group on Biodiversity in the Overseas Territories has been established following agreement of the strategy. This group, comprising the same member Departments as the IDMGb, met for the first time on 29 September and established its key principles and terms of reference, one of which will be to co-ordinate to best effect UK Government support for biodiversity in the Overseas Territories.
	Turning to the Darwin Initiative's new Overseas Territories Challenge Fund, I announced the establishment of this fund in June. It is intended to pay for up to 10 projects relating to biodiversity in the Overseas Territories, each costing up to £25,000. These will be comparable to existing Darwin scoping projects, aiming towards main-round projects, but for longer periods and involving some initial implementation work. The cost of Challenge Fund payments will come from a sum of up to £1.5 million, which I announced at the same event will be earmarked within the Darwin Initiative this year for Overseas Territories projects.
	In terms of specific figures provided under the Darwin Initiative for projects in the Caribbean and South Atlantic Overseas Territories, these are as follows:
	For the Caribbean Overseas Territories, since 2005, the figures are:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 151,218 
			 2006-07 156,378 
			 2007-08 65,602 
			 2008-09 31,227 
			 2009-10 188,294 
		
	
	For the South Atlantic Overseas Territories, since 2005, the figures are:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 71,294 
			 2006-07 39,389 
			 2007-08 52,077 
			 2008-09 5,000 
			 2009-10 27,856

Armed Forces: Housing

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on substitute services accommodation in each year since 2004.

Kevan Jones: The Department is required to accommodate entitled service personnel within 10 miles of their duty station (or 20 miles with permission of their Service Commander). When no Service Family Accommodation (SFA) is available within this area, service families may be offered Substitute SFA (SSFA), which personnel are entitled to retain for the duration of their tour, to avoid disruption to family life.
	Substitute Single Service Accommodation (SSSA) is granted to entitled single personnel when Single Living Accommodation (SLA) is not available at or close to their duty station.
	The amount spent on SSFA and SSSA in each year since 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   SSSA  SSFA  Total 
			 2004 32.9 11.0 43.9 
			 2005 36.8 13.0 49.8 
			 2006 40.5 15.0 55.5 
			 2007 44.5 14.6 59.1 
			 2008 50.9 17.4 68.3 
			 2009 (to date) 44.0 17.0 61.0

Armed Forces: Rehabilitation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on rehabilitation for wounded soldiers in each of the last 12 months.

Kevan Jones: The Defence Medical Services manage a widespread armed forces rehabilitation network that has some 180 Primary Care Rehabilitation Facilities and 15 Regional Rehabilitation Units (RRUs) as well as the flagship Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Surrey. Patients from all the armed services requiring rehabilitation are treated at the facility and location that is most appropriate.
	The annual running costs of Headley Court are approximately £13.5 million. Responsibility for the individual management of the primary care and RRU facilities is shared between the single service commands, with oversight from the Joint Medical Command. However, each service funds its respective RRUs differently. Owing to the number of different internal budgets to which costs would be attributable, any detailed analysis of local rehabilitation expenditure would therefore incur disproportionate costs.
	Where an individual requires specialist rehabilitation services or equipment that can best be provided by a non-MOD organisation (such as some aspects of neurological rehabilitation and specialised prosthetics) this will be arranged at additional cost. In the financial year 2008-09, about £1.6 million was spent on such services by the Joint Medical Command.

Colombia: Military Aid

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has refused to provide assistance to any  (a) individuals and  (b) units of the Colombian security forces on human rights grounds in the last five years;
	(2)  which official in his Department is responsible for monitoring the human rights performance of members of the Colombian security forces who have received training or other assistance from the United Kingdom.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 16 October 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 621W, to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington).

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which UK units are deployed as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus; which units will replace them on the next rotation; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: The 27 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps are currently deployed as part of the United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus. They will be replaced, in April 2010, by a Territorial Army unit from 2 Division and 40 Signal Regiment. Based on current plans, the units will rotate every six months between Regular units and Territorial Army units.

Cyprus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength is of the UK contingent in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) in Cyprus; what the cost was of the UK UNFICYP contingent in the latest year for which figures are available; and how much of that cost is to be reimbursed from each source of reimbursement.

Kevan Jones: As at 16 October 2009 there were 288 personnel deployed on Operation TOSCA, the UK contribution to UNFICYP. The cost for this deployment in the financial year 2008-09 was £16 million; charged to the tri-departmental (FCO, MOD and DfiD) peacekeeping budget, of which we expect around £2.5 million will be reimbursed by the United Nations.

Departmental Manpower

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed on a  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time basis at each of his Department's bases in Scotland

Kevan Jones: Validated figures below the local authority level have not been compiled and can not be supplied without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The table shows the number of civilian personnel in Scotland as at 1 July 2009, broken down by local authority, and full and part-time status.
	
		
			  Headcount 
			   Total  Full-time  Part-time 
			 Scotland 5,980 5,500 480 
			 Aberdeen City 80 80 (1)— 
			 Aberdeenshire 30 30 (1)— 
			 Angus 60 50 (1)— 
			 Argyll and Bute 1,700 1,620 90 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 50 50 (1)— 
			 Dundee City 30 30 — 
			 Edinburgh, City of 450 410 40 
			 Eilean Siar (1)— (1)— — 
			 Falkirk (1)— (1)— — 
			 Fife 750 710 40 
			 Glasgow City 1,090 950 130 
			 Highland 90 80 (1)— 
			 Inverclyde 30 30 (1)— 
			 Midlothian 40 30 (1)— 
			 Moray 670 600 70 
			 North Ayrshire 340 320 10 
			 Perth and Kinross 20 20 (1)— 
			 Renfrewshire 10 10 (1)— 
			 Scottish Borders (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Shetland Islands (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 South Ayrshire 40 40 (1)— 
			 South Lanarkshire (1)— (1)— — 
			 Stirling 340 280 50 
			 West Dunbartonshire 120 120 (1)— 
			 West Lothian (1)— (1)— — 
			 (1) Denotes frequency of five or less.  Notes: 1. Table includes all civilian personnel employed in MOD Core TLBs and trading funds. Figures exclude RFAs and LECs for which location data are not held centrally. 2. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Because of rounding, totals may not always equal to the sum of the parts.  Source: DASA (Quad-Service) 
		
	
	The following table shows the number of military personnel (UK regular forces) in Scotland as at 1 July 2009, broken down by local/unitary authority. UK regular forces includes all trained and untrained personnel. Gurkhas, full-time reserve personnel, and mobilised reservists are excluded.
	
		
			  UK regular forces 
			   Number 
			 Scotland 11,950 
			 Aberdeen City 20 
			 Aberdeenshire 20 
			 Angus 900 
			 Argyll and Bute 2,980 
			 Clackmannanshire — 
			 Dumfries and Galloway — 
			 Dundee City 40 
			 East Ayrshire — 
			 East Dunbartonshire — 
			 East Lothian — 
			 East Renfrewshire — 
			 Edinburgh, City of 1,550 
			 Eilean Siar 10 
			 Falkirk — 
			 Fife 1,460 
			 Glasgow City 560 
			 Highland 620 
			 Inverclyde — 
			 Midlothian 480 
			 Moray 3,100 
			 North Ayrshire — 
			 North Lanarkshire — 
			 Orkney Islands — 
			 Perth and Kinross 10 
			 Renfrewshire — 
			 Scottish Borders — 
			 Shetland Islands — 
			 South Ayrshire 90 
			 South Lanarkshire — 
			 Stirling 60 
			 West Dunbartonshire — 
			 West Lothian —

Departmental Procurement

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of procurement contracts  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies awarded to small businesses in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08, (iii) 2008-09 and (iv) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The majority, approximately 95 per cent. of MOD's contracts with supplier companies are managed through the MOD's central contract processes. When a new contract is placed under this system, a commercial officer is required to identify whether the company is a small and medium enterprise (SME). Within the contracts system, an SME is defined as a company with less than 250 employees. The MOD central contracts database shows the percentages of new contracts let where the company has been identified as an SME. This information is provided as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage of procurement contracts awarded to SME 
			 2006-07 46 
			 2007-08 46 
			 2008-09 48 
			 2009-10(1) 46 
			 (1) Six months. 
		
	
	Contracts for which the SME information is incomplete have been excluded, and this currently comprises of approximately 4 per cent. of contracts let.
	The Ministry of Defence is working with the Office of Government Commerce and other Departments to implement the recommendations of the Glover report in regard to increasing SME participation in public procurement.

Departmental Rail Travel

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on first class rail travel for officials in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: The information requested for 2006-07 and 2007-08 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. With the introduction of the Defence Travel (DT) in 2008, however, visibility of rail bookings can now be captured. Rail booking is processed through an online booking tool or offline through a Travel Management Company, Hogg Robinson Group (HRG). The spend for FY 2008-09 on 1st class travel through DT was £6.497 million. This figure does not include rail warrants (which were not withdrawn until 30 April 2009) or short notice travellers paying at ticket offices and reclaiming the cost.
	The entitlement to first class travel is laid down in Joint Service Publication 800, Defence Movements and Transportation Regulations. The class of rail travel in UK Mainland is based on rank or, for civil servants grade. Officers and civil servants who are Lt Cdr, Major, Sqn Ldr, pay band C2 and above are entitled to first class travel at public expense. This includes acting rank. Standard class passengers travelling with entitled officers for essential duty reasons may also travel first class.

Elizabeth Cross

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Elizabeth Crosses have been awarded to families of service personnel;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of recommendations for the award of the Elizabeth Cross to be made in the next nine months.

Kevan Jones: Since August this year, a total of 292 Queen Elizabeth Crosses and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the eligible Next Of Kin (NOK) of deceased service personnel who have died on operations, or as a result of an act of terrorism since 1 January 1948. A further 406 awards have been prepared for presentation to eligible NOK at organised events.
	It is estimated that there are currently 8,000 eligible NOK although, it is not possible for the Ministry of Defence to determine how many retrospective or future recommendations for the award of the Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll will be made within the next nine months.

Military Decorations: Expenditure

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on medals for service personnel in each of the last 10 years.

Kevan Jones: Figures are only available for the last four years since the separate services medal offices joined to become the Ministry of Defence Medal Office.
	The actual cost of purchasing medals is provided in the table.
	
		
			   Cost of medals (£ million) 
			 2005-06 2.35 
			 2006-07 2.49 
			 2007-08 1.73 
			 2008-09 1.58

Navy: Festivals and Special Occasions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department was of hosting Navy Days 2009; how many people visited each event; and which Ministers from his Department were present at each event.

Kevan Jones: The Navy Days 2009 event was held at HM Naval Base Devonport over two days on 5 and 6 September 2009. As the final accounts have yet to be ratified, the exact cost for hosting the event is not yet available. The indicative expenditure is, however, approximately £300,000 with a marginal surplus generated as income through, for example, ticket sales, brochure sales, advertising and sponsorship. As such, the event ran at zero net cost to the Department.
	Based on advance ticket sales and those purchased at the gate, in excess of 20,000 people attended the event over the two days. Both my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces and I were invited. Unfortunately, however, neither of us were able to attend.

Nepal: Helicopters

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2009,  Official Report, column 2000W, on helicopters: Nepal, what the cost to the public purse was of each helicopter gifted to the Royal Nepal Army; and what the purchase price of a new model M1-17 helicopter was at the time the gift was made.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 16 October 2009
	The total cost for the two gifted helicopters was £2.5 million, £1.25 million per aircraft.
	Information on the purchase price of a new helicopter at the time the gift was made is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Nuclear Submarines: Decommissioning

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the advisers are to his Department's interim storage of laid-up submarines (ISOLUS) programme; for what reason  (a) Dr. Jane Hunt and  (b) Dr. Bill Thompson are no longer advisers to the programme; how many participants in the programme have left it since the departure of Dr Hunt and Dr Thompson; and how much is being spent on the ISOLUS programme in 2009-10.

Bill Rammell: The Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP—formerly the ISOLUS project) Advisory Group provides independent scrutiny and advice to the MOD on SDP activities and plans. There are 25 non-MOD members, who represent a range of organisations, covering inter alia industry, academia, regulatory bodies and non-governmental organisations.
	A full list of the members of the SDP Advisory Group can be found on the SDP website:
	http://www.submarinedismantling.co.uk/ConsultationIAG.html
	Drs. Hunt and Thompson were employed under a contract to Lancaster university to provide communications support to the project. On the expiry of that contract in March 2009, a new contractor was employed following an open competition. Lancaster university did not bid for that contract. Following a subsequent review of the group's membership, it was assessed by the MOD that the two individuals' skills were duplicated elsewhere within the group. It was therefore decided that their continued membership was not necessary and, as members' attendance is funded by the MOD, did not represent good value for taxpayers' money.
	Since the departure of Drs. Hunt and Thompson in August 2009, two other members of the group have tendered their resignations.
	The current forecast spend on SDP in financial year 2009-10 is £3.9 million.

Royal Regiment of Scotland: Manpower

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) trained,  (b) actual strength and  (c) numbers fit for duty requirement is for each (i) regular and (ii) territorial infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Bill Rammell: Infantry manning deficits have been reduced markedly and the situation continues to improve fast due to a number of factors including the introduction of exceptional action measures, financial incentives, improved marketing and the current economic situation. However, the strength of individual battalions will tend to fluctuate naturally over time, according to their planned duties.
	"Trained Requirement" has been interpreted as the maximum number of trained posts in a battalion's peace time configuration.
	"Actual strength" has been interpreted as the number of personnel assigned to a battalion for its planned duties. It will also include augmentees who are temporarily assigned if needed to support the role of the battalion, for operational military tasks and events that cannot be achieved within required strengths. Similarly, the figures exclude those assigned out of the battalion to augment other units.
	"Fit for duty" has been interpreted as fit for primary role, including personnel listed as having limited deploy ability, plus personnel who are unfit for deployment but who can perform a role in an alternative capacity. The difference between the actual strength and number fit for duty represents those who are medically non-effective and therefore unfit for any form of duty.
	As at 1 October 2009, the figures for Royal Regiment of Scotland regular battalions are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Battalion  Trained  r equirement  Actual s trength  SCOTS 
			 1 Scots 630 556 554 
			 2 SCOTS 627 518 515 
			 3 SCOTS 630 625 614 
			 4 SCOTS 686 584 583 
			 5 SCOTS 650 542 540 
		
	
	As at 1 October 2009, the figures for Royal Regiment of Scotland Territorial Army battalions are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Battalion  Trained  r equirement  Actual s trength  SCOTS 
			 6 SCOTS 430 270 n/a 
			 7 SCOTS 500 360 n/a 
			 n/a = not available. 
		
	
	Data concerning fit for duty personnel are not collected for the Territorial Army.

Trident

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of  (a) the cost and  (b) the length of time it would take to decommission Trident and its facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: When nuclear submarines leave the naval service, they will be subject to a process known as Defuel, De-equip and Lay-up Preparation, which will involve spent nuclear materials being removed for storage at Sellafield, and any remaining irradiated material being secured within the reactor compartment. In line with current practice for other submarines now leaving service, the submarines themselves will then be stored afloat at either Devonport or Rosyth, pending final disposal.
	The submarines will then be dismantled, a process that will take approximately 12 months. The current budget for this process (known as the Submarine Dismantling Project) is some £1.5 billion. This covers the dismantling of 27 nuclear submarines from HMS Dreadnought through to HMS Vengeance, the 4th boat in the current nuclear deterrent fleet. At present costs of decommissioning cannot be broken down by class.
	Faslane and other facilities associated with the submarine flotilla will remain in service to support the future deterrent and the Astute class submarine. There are no plans for decommissioning these facilities.

Departmental Pay

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what employee reward schemes are offered to staff of his Department; what the primary purpose of each scheme is; how many staff participate in each scheme; and what the cost of operating each scheme was in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice reward schemes exist to provide employees with remuneration relevant to their work. These schemes cover:
	Basic pay (and allowances where appropriate);
	Non-consolidated performance pay; and
	Flexible benefits.
	Arrangements for basic and non-consolidated performance pay for senior civil servants (SCS) are based on recommendations made by the Independent Senior Salaries Review Body. Reward arrangements for grades below the SCS are delegated to Departments. In the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) there are separate reward schemes in place for staff in grades below the SCS working in National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the rest of the Ministry.
	 Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS)
	The following table provides details of the cost of administering basic pay, allowances and non-consolidated performance pay schemes and the number of staff participating in them. The costs cover the period where there has been machinery of government changes. The costs are associated with the Department of Constitutional Affairs from 1 April 2004 to 30 April 2007 and the Ministry of Justice since May 2007.
	
		
			   Staff participating  Cost of operating the reward system (£) 
			 2008-09 27,808 2,668,900 
			 2007-08 27,581 2,553,465 
			 2006-07 28,163 3,429,364 
			 2005-06 24,309 3,116,358 
			 2004-05 12,687 n/a 
			 n/a = Not available.  Notes: 1. The data for 2004-05 reflects staff employed (and subject to the pay award) by the former DCA prior to the Magistrates Courts Service (MCS) becoming part of the DCA on 1 April 2005. 2. The increase in 2005 reflects the increase subsequent to the merger with the Magistrates Courts Service and the machinery of government changes which led to the establishment of the Tribunals Service on 1 April 2006. 3. Totals include all SCS staff subject to pay determination by the MOJ including sister Departments. Payroll services for basic and non-consolidated performance pay and allowances is provided by an outsourced payroll provider. 
		
	
	Flexible benefits schemes enable staff to exercise a degree of choice in respect of the way they are rewarded within the limits of their overall reward package. The following table contains information about participation in these arrangements in the MOJ since the schemes introduction in 2007.
	
		
			  Scheme  Number of Staff who have participated in this since its introduction in 2007 
			 Salary Sacrifice Scheme for Childcare Vouchers 504 
			 Salary Sacrifice Scheme for bicycles and cycles safety equipment 78 
			 Voluntary Benefits 9,060 
			 Buying and Selling Annual Leave 1,173 
		
	
	The non-payroll costs for the administration associated with the schemes above since their introduction in 2007 is £210,000.
	 The National Offender Management Agency (NOMS)
	Details of the number of staff participating in the NOMS reward arrangements are contained in the following table.
	
		
			   Staff participating( 1) 
			 2008-09 52,956 
			 2007-08 51,239 
			 2006-07 49,571 
			 2005-06 48,874 
			 2004-05 48,848 
			 (1) Data relates to staff employed in HM Prison Service. Staff employed by the national probation service are paid by their local probation board. 
		
	
	The NOMS Agency also offers the following flexible benefits:
	Work Life Balance working patterns;
	Salary Sacrifice scheme for Childcare; and
	Season ticket and bicycle loan schemes
	The cost of administration of the pay and reward arrangements for NOMS over the last five years are not centrally recorded. The information can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Magistrates Courts: Working Hours

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which magistrates' courts are planned to  (a) close and  (b) reduce their sitting hours in the next two years.

Bridget Prentice: On 13 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 24-25WS, my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Jack Straw) made a written ministerial statement to the House announcing the launch of 20 consultation exercises for magistrates courts closures. These courts are underutilised and in many cases their facilities for court users, including victims and witnesses, are inadequate. The Lord Chancellor will make a decision whether to close a court after considering the responses to consultations.
	HMCS regularly reviews the use and condition of its estate. Where there is an underutilised court and alternative facilities within a reasonable travelling distance we will consider holding consultations to seek views; on whether to close a court.
	HMCS must keep the level of magistrates courts sitting commensurate to the amount of work—local management decisions, involving local judiciary, including magistrates, and staff will be taken regularly to ensure that that is the case.

Probation: North West

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Probation Service staff there were in each probation area in the North West in each of the last five years; and what the ratio of offenders to Probation Service staff was in each case.

Jack Straw: Over the five-year period, funding for Probation across England and Wales has increased overall by 32.2 per cent., with the number of qualified probation officers increasing by 4.4 per cent. In the north-west region, funding has increased by 16.2 per cent., with the number of qualified probation officers increasing by 4.3 per cent. The total number of staff in each probation area in the north-west region is shown in the following table, together with the ratio to offenders.
	
		
			  Ratio of offenders to probation staff in the north-west 
			  Staff in post figures shown as full time equivalents 
			2004( 1)  2005( 1)  2006( 1)  2007( 1)  2008( 2) 
			 Cheshire Staff in post(3) 346 376 379 366 368 
			  Ratio—offenders:staff(4) 8.0:1 8.7:1 9.9:1 10.2:1 10.5:1 
			
			 Cumbria Staff in post(3) 173 190 198 196 176 
			  Ratio—offenders:staff(4) 11.1:1 9.9:1 9.5:1 10.9:1 12.2:1 
			
			 Greater Manchester Staff in post(3) 1,306 1,341 1,411 1,270 1,284 
			  Ratio—offenders:staff(4) 11.0:1 11.2:1 11.5:1 13.1:1 12.6:1 
			
			 Lancashire Staff in post(3) 602 578 565 563 556 
			  Ratio—offenders:staff(4) 10.1:1 11.1:1 12.6:1 13.6:1 13.7.1 
			
			 Merseyside Staff in post(3) 777 784 754 715 719 
			  Ratio—offenders:staff(4) 11.9:1 13.1:1 13.8:1 13.3:1 12.9:1 
			 (1) Figures as at 31 December. (2) Figures as at September 2008; the latest date for which there are corresponding Staffing and Offender figures. (3) Includes all staff employed within the area/region. (4) Calculated against all staff employed within the area/region.

Anguilla: Energy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress made by Anguilla towards energy independence; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Responsibility for energy issues has been devolved to the Overseas Territory governments.
	The Government of Anguilla (GOA) advised us that their progress towards energy independence has so far included the following:
	Formal Establishment of the Anguilla National Energy Committee under the Department of Environment;
	A draft National Energy Policy has been verbally endorsed by the GO A. This is expected to be formalised by 1 December 2009;
	A renewable Energy Co-ordinator, supported by OTEP funding (Overseas Territories Environment Programme, a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development fund), has been retained and is currently working to promote the goals of the Draft National Energy Policy;
	Funds have been raised through the GOA (EC$ 500,000) and OTEP (£100,000) for the establishment of the Anguilla Renewable Energy Office;
	A National Energy Committee covers high-level international consultancy, data collection and data analysis;
	A business plan has been developed for a special entity currently called "RECorp" which will establish and operate a first phase 2-3 megawatt wind farm under a power-purchase agreement with ANGLEC, Anguilla's sole electrical utility.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Environment Protection

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conservation schemes operate in the British Indian Ocean Territory to protect low-lying vulnerable atolls from the effects of climate change.

Chris Bryant: All coral atolls in the Indian Ocean are suffering attrition due to coral mortality and sea level rise. The northern Chagos atolls have been monitored for the key coral components, especially those primarily responsible for providing a breakwater effect in shallow water.
	Coral atolls in the Chagos Islands fare much better than most because they do not face the additional stresses caused by human inhabitation (sewage discharges, shoreline development, dredging, etc). Observations have been made on erosion since 1996 in some areas.
	The Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP), a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development fund totalling £1 million annually, funds projects in the Overseas Territories dealing with environment, biodiversity, energy, recycling, climate change adaption and mitigation, and sustainable development.
	The programme is currently contributing funding to a two-year project involving specialist scientists from elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, which will collect data on the condition of all atolls in the British Indian Ocean Territory, looking in particular at the effects of climate change on the reefs, with a view to informing and improving environmental management.

British Overseas Territories: Climate Change

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that the interests of the UK Overseas Territories are recognised at the forthcoming UN climate change summit in Copenhagen.

Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working in concert with the Department for Energy and Climate Change, the lead UK negotiating department on the forthcoming UN climate change summit in Copenhagen, to ensure that any commitments entered into at Copenhagen or subsequently will take into account the interests of the British Overseas Territories.

British Overseas Territories: Environmental Charters

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are being taken to ensure that the commitments outlined in the 2001 Environmental Charters signed between the United Kingdom and the UK Overseas Territories are being met.

Chris Bryant: We are in touch with the Overseas Territories about progress against the commitments set out in the Charters, and to establish how much the Territories use and value the Charters. The Charters were raised with Territory leaders at the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (the annual meeting of UK Ministers and Territory leaders) in 2007 and there have been discussions since then by officials at working level. The Overseas Territories Environment Programme, funded jointly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, spends £1 million annually on projects in the Overseas Territories which are designed to help deliver the commitments in the Charters.
	Both the UK and the Overseas Territories feel that, while the Charters provide a useful framework, they are too generic and need to be tailored to meet the specific needs of each territory. We are therefore looking to revise the Charters to make them more focused on individual territory needs.

Guinea

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances he has received from the government of Guinea that the investigation into the violence which took place at an Opposition rally on 28 September 2009 will be independent and impartial; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The military-led government in Guinea has offered to investigate the violence which took place at an opposition rally on 28 September 2009. However, the International Contact Group for Guinea, of which the UK is an active member, has recommended that any investigation needs to be independent, impartial and should be international in nature. We support this position and are consulting with the African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other international partners about how such an investigation might be taken forward.

Guinea

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to monitor the political situation in Guinea following the violence at an Opposition rally on 28 September 2009; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Our ambassador in Guinea is an active member of the International Contact Group on Guinea and has maintained a constant dialogue with EU and G8 partners on the ground in order to ensure the UK fully monitors the political situation in Guinea. Our ambassadors in the region are also in contact with President Chambas of the Economic Community of West African States and the governments of Guinea's neighbours.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government has taken in co-operation with the United States administration to improve the security of civilians in Iraq.

Ivan Lewis: Following the end of Combat Operations in April 2009, the UK continues to provide training and assistance to all of Iraq's security forces in conjunction with allies and partners. In-country activity includes: providing forensic training to the Iraqi police service; contributing UK police officers to the EU's JUSTLEX rule of law project; providing military training to the Iraqi army through the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Training Mission—Iraq (NTM-I) and we will also shortly recommence training and support to the Iraqi Navy alongside US forces following the ratification of a UK-Iraq co-operation agreement. Activities in the UK include Iraqi attendance at a range of police and military training courses.

Overseas Aid: Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what the largest sum allocated by his Department to an overseas project to tackle domestic violence, specifying amounts, organisations and outcomes, was in each year since 2001;
	(2)  what plans he has for future spending on projects to tackle domestic violence overseas.

Chris Bryant: The Department for International Development leads on this issue globally and supports a range of initiatives aimed at tackling violence against women, including domestic violence, through its development assistance programmes. This has included work in Ghana and Sierra Leone supporting the implementation of new legislation on domestic violence; and in Nepal, providing technical assistance to the Prime Minister's Office on the National Campaign to end gender based violence.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has funded one related project on domestic violence overseas in the recent past. This was a three-year community policing project being run in Russia between 2006 and 2009 (at a cost of approximately £300,000) by the Global Opportunities Fund for Human Rights. The aim of the project was to train police officers on prevention of community and domestic violence, working with Justices of the Peace, Non-Governmental Organisations and relevant municipal organisations, to reduce domestic violence.
	The FCO's Human Rights and Democracy Strategic Programme Fund supports projects on equality, including tackling the structural and institutional roots of gender discrimination through effective implementation of international law, but we do not have dedicated funds for tackling domestic violence and sexual abuse overseas.

Human Trafficking: Greater London

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Metropolitan Police Service on the future of its specialist unit to combat trafficking in human beings; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The deployment of resources and staff is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
	Human trafficking is core police business and, as such, work to combat this crime should be mainstreamed into existing budgets.
	The Government provide additional funding of £435,000 to the Metropolitan Police for the current financial year to enable them to do so in line with other forces in England and Wales. This was done on the basis that such work would be funded from within their existing budget from the financial year 2010-11.

Rape: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of rape were reported in  (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency,  (b) Dacorum,  (c) Hertfordshire and  (d) England and Wales in each of the last five years; and how many of them resulted in (i) a prosecution and (ii) a conviction.

Alan Campbell: Information is not available in the form requested as it is not possible to track individual offences through to their outcome at court. The available information relates to the number of offences of rape recorded by the police in the last five financial years. Prosecutions and convictions data is based on the number of offenders and has been provided by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. These data are published on a calendar year basis and are counts of persons classified by their principal offence. For these reasons the two datasets are not directly comparable.
	Table 1 gives the number of offences of rape recorded by the police in Dacorum, Hertfordshire and England and Wales. Data for Hemel Hempstead are not available. Table 2 provides data on the number of defendants proceeded against and convicted for all rape offences for Hertfordshire and England and Wales. Data for Hemel Hempstead and Dacorum are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences of rape recorded in the Dacorum crime and disorder reduction partnership area, Hertfordshire police force area and England and Wales 
			  Financial year  Dacorum  Hertfordshire  England and Wales 
			 2004-05 20 184 14,013 
			 2005-06 22 211 14,443 
			 2006-07 28 199 13,774 
			 2007-08 21 172 12,639 
			 2008-09 19 132 13,133 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for rape and attempted rape offences, Hertfordshire police force area and England and Wales, 2003 to 2007( 1, 2) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			   Proceed against  Found guilty  Proceed against  Found guilty  Proceed against  Found guilty  Proceed against  Found guilty  Proceed against  Found guilty 
			 Hertfordshire police force area 38 10 55 13 51 8 57 8 25 12 
			 England and Wales 2,790 673 2,689 751 2,826 796 2,567 863 2,363 873 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Research Report

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in each birth cohort, are modelled as having a payback of  (a) less than 0.5,  (b) between 0.5 and 1,  (c) between 1 and 1.5,  (d) between 1.5 and 2,  (e) between 2 and 2.5,  (f) between 2.5 and 3 and  (g) above 3 as shown in Figure 4.3 on page 55 of DWP Research Report number 558.

Angela Eagle: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of those saving into a defined contribution pension at any point after 2012, with an employer contribution, in each payback group, by birth cohort 
			   Payback (£)  
			   <1  1-1.5  1.5-2  2-2.5  2.5-3  >3  Total (million) 
			  Birth cohort ( Thousand )
			 Pre-1960 250 650 1,250 450 200 650 3.4 
			 1960-70 250 550 1,800 1,500 650 850 5.8 
			 1970-80 150 350 1,000 1,500 1,300 1,450 5.8 
			 1980-90 150 200 650 1,100 1,400 3,100 6.6 
			 1990-2000 150 150 500 950 1,200 3,800 6.8 
			  Note:  Population estimates are based on the modelled population and may be subject to sampling error. All numbers are rounded to the nearest 50,000.   Source:  Pensim2. 
		
	
	This table covers all individuals in these cohorts who save in any defined contribution pension with an employer contribution at any point after 2012. It is consistent with the payback figures presented in the report, "Saving for retirement: Implications of pensions reforms on financial incentives to save for retirement", published in February this year. Overall, less than 5 per cent. are modelled as expecting a payback of less than 1.
	This table covers all cohorts who are expected to live out their lives before 2100, including many who will not enter the workforce and/or start saving until many years after 2012, and others who are already saving. As such, the figures should not be compared directly with new savers or those eligible for automatic enrolment in 2012.
	Those with payback of less than 0.5 have not been shown separately due to the small sample size of this group in the model; they make up approximately a quarter of the group with payback of less than 1.
	Please note that opt-out rates in the model are assigned randomly to employees, and do not take account of characteristics of individuals or how they might behave. The numbers in the lower payback groups may be over-estimated if those who go on to see high levels of benefit interactions are more likely to opt out. The figures are based on reasonable assumptions about the future as set out in "Saving for retirement: Implications of pensions reforms on financial incentives to save".

Cultural Heritage

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the annual financial contribution of the heritage sector to the economy.

Margaret Hodge: Heritage provides a vital contribution to the national economy and contributes to the success of a range of industries including tourism, retail, entertainment and construction. Although no aggregate figure is available, several studies of which English Heritage is aware have sought to identify the contribution within a particular context. In the north-west alone it is estimated that Heritage and its ancillaries contribute £1.6 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the economy.
	A Heritage Lottery Fund study of major projects they completed in 2007 estimates them to have created £33 million in local GVA and to support the equivalent of 1,277 full-time equivalent jobs. Tourism, one of the largest industries in the UK, was estimated to be worth approximately £86 billion in 2007. Evidence from VisitBritain shows England's historic buildings are key motivators for those considering a visit to the country and they also top the table of activities undertaken by those who actually do visit.
	Privately owned historic houses generate an economic contribution of over £1.6 billion; while England's cathedrals generate around £150 million per annum of benefits for the local and national economies.

Digital Broadcasting: Wales

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the time necessary to restore ITV channels to those homes no longer able to receive them as a result of the digital switchover in Wales;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to restore ITV channels to homes which lost them as a result of the digital switchover in Wales;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of homes that no longer receive ITV channels as a result of the digital switchover in Wales.

Si�n Simon: We believe that up to one million households could have been affected by the loss of ITV3 and ITV4 after the digital television retune. In some cases the services will be restored at digital switchover.
	There is a licence requirement that the three Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) digital multiplexes, which carry the public service broadcasting channels, should reach 98.5 per cent. of UK households after Digital Switchover. Since the national re-tune, ITV3 and ITV4, which are not PSB channels, have been carried on commercial multiplexes where the licence post-Switchover requirement is that 90 per cent. of household coverage is achieved. Any decision to build out beyond 90 per cent. coverage would be a commercial decision for the multiplex operators.

Historic Buildings: Conservation

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many buildings were  (a) added to and  (b) removed from the Buildings At Risk Register in each year since 2000.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 October 2009
	English Heritage has advised that the number of buildings added to and removed from the national Buildings at Risk Register in each year since 2000 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number of buildings removed from Buildings at Risk Register  Number of buildings added to Buildings at Risk Register 
			 2008-09 69 64 
			 2007-08 57 69 
			 2006-07 88 52 
			 2005-06 94 68 
			 2004-05 91 58 
			 2003-04 94 66 
			 2002-03 114 98 
			 2001-02 114 94 
			 2000-01 109 102 
			 1999-2000 108 141 
		
	
	The national Buildings at Risk Register includes Grade I and II* listed buildings and structural scheduled monuments (structures rather than earthworks) at risk.

ITV: Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what response he has made to ITV regarding the proposal on its entitlement to a portion of the revenue from the television licence fee; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: The Government are not aware that ITV has made a proposal on its entitlement to a portion of the revenue from the television licence fee.
	The Government have consulted on the sustainability of plurality of news in the Nations, locally and in the regions, and on the idea of using a small portion of the television licence fee, on a competitive basis, to support plurality of multi-media news provision. The consultation closed on 22 September; Government received 89 responses.
	The Government are considering those responses and will set out its views in due course.

Monuments: Preservation

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the state of preservation of war memorials.

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage advises Ministers on matters relating to England's historic built environment. Statutory protection is given to those war memorials which are, or form part of, a listed building or scheduled ancient monument. There are approximately 1,200 purpose built war memorials that are listed buildings.
	English Heritage's Heritage at Risk Register contains only four designated war memorials considered to be at risk. In three cases, English Heritage is taking action in conjunction with the owners or the local authority to secure the preservation of the memorial in question and in the fourth case, the memorial is in local authority care.
	Of the four memorials, one has received grant aid from English Heritage and a second has been offered such assistance.
	English Heritage's Heritage at Risk Register contains four designated war memorials at risk; three are listed buildings and the fourth is a Scheduled Monument.
	Of the three listed buildings, one is in local authority care (action under consideration), another is in private ownership (action in hand in association with local authority) and the third is in the care of a charitable trust (action in hand with grant-aid from English Heritage).
	The joint owners of the scheduled war memorial have been offered a grant for repair under the English Heritage/Wolf son Foundation grant scheme.
	 Listed b uildings
	1. In local authority care (action under consideration)War memorial, Saltburn by Sea, Tees Valley. Grade 11*. Arts and Crafts style memorial to the dead of the Great War 1914-18 with bronze sculpture by Sir Willam Reynolds-Stephens. A community-based group is promoting a scheme for the restoration of the memorial and it's setting, in conjunction with the local authority. EH is to liaise with local authority over repairs proposals.
	2. In private ownership (action in hand in association with local authority)Islington War Memorial Arch, Manor Gardens, London. Grade 11. Listed War memorial designed by Percy Adams, formally part of the Royal Northern Hospital. Repairs being carried out in discussion with local authority.
	3. In the care of a charitable trust (action in hand with grant-aid from English Heritage)Thanksgiving Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Blackpool. Grade 11*. 20th century war memorial chapel. 70,560 offered in 2006 towards urgent repairs. Further work is envisaged. In the care of the Historic Chapels Trust (ongoing EH grant-aid).
	 Scheduled war memorial
	The joint owners of the scheduled war memorial have been offered a grant for repair under the English Heritage/Wolfson Foundation grant schemeMontreal Park Obelisk, Riverhead, Kent. 18th century monument to the Canadian wars. 1,130 offered in 2007 towards repairs under the War Memorials Grant Scheme. This has not yet been taken up.

Tourism: Marketing

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Government spent on  (a) marketing Britain overseas and  (b) marketing England in the UK in (i) 1997, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007 and (iv) 2008.

Margaret Hodge: DCMS provides public funding to VisitBritain for promoting Britain as a tourist destination to overseas markets. VisitEngland receives public funding from within VisitBritain's allocation for promoting England as a tourist destination to the domestic market.
	The following table outlines the information requested:
	
		
			  000 
			   Net expenditure on marketing  Domestic expenditure  Overseas  e xpenditure 
			 2006-07 28,913 10,428 18,485 
			 2007-08 32,093 12,907 19,186 
			 2008-09 31,846 10,084 21,762 
			  Source: VisitBritain 
		
	
	VisitBritain was created in 2003. It was formed out of a merger between the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourist Board. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested for 1997 as soon as possible.

Arthritis

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of average waiting times for rheumatoid arthritis patients for follow-up consultations with a rheumatology specialist in  (a) Nottingham North constituency and  (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not collect waiting times data for follow-up consultations at specialty level.
	Data published by the Department looking on an all speciality basis shows that the ratio of subsequent attendance (follow-up) to first out-patient appointment has remained broadly stable over the last three years at around two (subsequent attendances) to one (first out-patient appointment).
	 Source:
	Department of Health Monthly Activity Return (MAR) and Quarterly Activity Return (QAR)

Departmental Procurement

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of procurement contracts  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies awarded to small businesses in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08, (iii) 2008-09 and (iv) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Department does not currently collect data centrally on the number of contracts awarded to small businesses.
	However, following the publication of the Glover report in November 2008, the Office of Government Commerce established its 'Access For All' programme in April 2009. This was developed to coordinate the implementation of the Glover Committee recommendations across Government and the public sector. One of the recommendations is that all Government Departments report annually on their contract spend with small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The Department is fully committed to supporting this work.
	The Department is responsible for two agencies:
	NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA)a snapshot of current contracts on 14 October 2009, shows that the ratio of SME awarded contracts against all NHS PASA awarded contracts is currently 31 per cent. Data for the years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 are not available broken down on an annual basis.
	Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)MHRA does not currently collect data centrally on the number of contracts awarded to small businesses.

Departmental Rail Travel

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on first class rail travel for officials in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.  [Official Report, 22 October 2009, Vol. 497, c. 7-8MC]

Phil Hope: The Department has spent the following on first-class travel.
	
		
			
			 2006-07 4,640,501.02 
			 2007-08 4,977,335.59 
			 2008-09 6,475,462.75 
		
	
	It should be noted that the above figures represent travel booked through the central booking system which constitutes the vast majority of how travel is booked and paid for.

Depressive Illnesses

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS is taking to improve clinical outcomes from treatment provided to patients diagnosed with  (a) major depression,  (b) atypical depression,  (c) psychotic depression,  (d) dysthymia and  (e) manic depression.

Phil Hope: Since 2001-02, total planned investment in adult mental health services has increased by 50 per cent. (2.0 billion), putting in place the extra services and staff needed to transform mental health services. Nine consecutive years of increased spending by the national health service on mental health services has provided more staff, and increasing numbers of people with a severe mental illness are receiving treatment from community teams outside of hospital settings.
	Our significant investment in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT), will see annual funding rising to 173 million, 3,600 extra therapists trained and 900,000 more people treated by 2011. This investment in IAPT will help to add to the existing provision of psychological therapies, increase capacity, reduce waiting times and drive up quality standards.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) expects to issue revised guidance on treating depression later this year. NICE issued guidance on treating bipolar disorder in 2006, which indicates evidence-based approaches to treatment and covers psychological as well as drug treatments for these conditions. General practitioners and consultant psychiatrists are expected to take NICE guidance fully into account when deciding on the most appropriate treatment for their patients.

Doctors: Training

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) medical trainees expected to achieve Certificate of Completion of Training status in each of the next five years and  (b) consultant posts likely to be available in each such year.

Ann Keen: The Workforce Review Team (WRT) prediction of the number of medical trainees expected to achieve Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) status in each of the next five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Projected graduates 2008 
			 2009-10 5,750 
			 2010-11 6,225 
			 2011-12 5,650 
			 2012-13 5,877 
			 2013-14 5,400 
			  Notes: 1. The data are for junior doctors expecting to reach their CCT (secondary and general practitioner) in the coming years. This will not be pure growth in the number of trained doctors in the national health service since many will be recruited to replace retirements etc. of existing work force. 2. These are expected CCT dates and are subject to variation due to failure for doctors to progress through training as expected which can be for many reasons for example maternity leave, educational issues, illness, undertaking research. 3. Also to clarify these will be graduates of higher specialty post graduate training and not medical school graduates. 
		
	
	Local NHS organisations are best placed determine the levels of service and resource required to meet the health needs of the local population. Therefore, the number of consultant posts likely to be available in each year is not collected centrally.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place for monitoring compliance with (a) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines and (b) NICE technology appraisals.

Mike O'Brien: In 2008-09, national health service organisations were asked to assess themselves against a core standard that incorporates compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) technology appraisals. These self-assessments were independently validated by the Care Quality Commission and showed that 95.2 per cent, of NHS organisations could provide evidence of compliance with this standard.
	Clinical guidelines relate to a whole pathway of care and can make a large number of recommendations spanning all stages of care from diagnosis to treatment of a condition. In view of their complexity and because of the different states of readiness for implementation in the NHS, clinical guidelines are not subject to the same performance management assessment as NICE'S technology appraisals. Compliance with NICE'S clinical guidelines is a developmental standard for NHS organisations and the Government expect NHS organisations to implement them over time using available resources.
	Use of NICE technology appraisals and clinical guidelines to prioritise investment and promote quality improvement is one of the ways in which primary care trusts can demonstrate progress towards becoming world class commissioners under the world class commissioning assurance framework.

NHS: Finance

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with  (a) Ministerial colleagues and  (b) the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on proposals from the Economic Counsellor of the IMF that reforms are required in the healthcare system to tackle the UK's budget deficit.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has had no discussions with the IMF, who did not make specific reform proposals. The Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget sets out a plan to address the Budget deficit. The implications for individual Government Departments will be set out in the next Spending Review, however the ministerial team has ongoing discussions about reforms needed to deliver best value from available national health service resources.

Oral Surgery Review Committee

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Oral Surgery Review Committee first met; what the Committee's terms of reference are; how much notice of the meeting was given to members of the Committee; who the members of the Committee are; what relevant qualifications each has; and which members  (a) attended and  (b) did not attend the meeting.

Ann Keen: The Oral Surgery working group first met on 23 September 2009, members were given 52 days notice of the meeting.
	The group's draft terms of reference, which are yet to be finalised, are: to understand the background of how the specialty of oral surgery (OS) has developed to date and its relationship to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS);to examine the service implications of the development of the specialty of OS; to identify the needs and expectations of patients and the public; to examine the current provision of education and training in OS; to assess the cost implications of the development and commissioning of OS; to assess the availability and accessibility of specialist services in both OS and OMFS with a specific focus on how the needs of patients and the public are currently met; and to consider the implications of any recommendations made by the OS review group and their feasibility.
	Details of committee members are listed in the following table, with a note of whether they attended the first meeting.
	
		
			  Name  Title/role  Attendance at meeting on  23 September 2009 
			 Professor Nairn Wilson (Chair) Dean and Head of Institute, King's College London. Yes 
			 Keith Altman Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Chair of the British Dental Association's Central Committee for Hospital Dental Services.  
			 Barry Cockcroft Chief Dental Officer, England.  
			 Professor Chris Franklin Chair of the Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors. Yes 
			 Michael Hahn Consultant Oral Surgeon. Yes 
			 Richard Hayward Oral Surgeon working in general practice, former Dean of Faculty of General Dental Practice. Yes 
			 James Parker Oral Surgeon working in hospital, past President of the British Association of Oral surgery. Yes 
			 Bernard Speculand Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Yes 
			 Derrick Willmot Dean of Faculty of Dental Surgery. Yes 
			 Amit Bose Policy Manager, Department of Health. Yes 
			 Rachel Noble Project Manager. Yes 
			 Jerry Read Head of Oral Health Section, Department of Health. Yes

School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2009,  Official Report, column 233W, on the school fruit and vegetable scheme, when the pilot scheme will be complete; and when he expects the results of the pilot to be available.

Gillian Merron: There are no current pilots for the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS). The scheme was originally piloted in more than 500 schools throughout England in 2000 and 2001 as the 'National Fruit Scheme'. An evaluation of the scheme can be found at the following address:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4009412
	The scheme was taken over from the Big Lottery Fund by the Department in 2004 and is now operating throughout England.
	Working in partnership with nutritionists from Leeds university, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) evaluated the impact of the SFVS, and results were published in September 2007 on the Department's website at the following address:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/FiveADay/FiveADaygeneralinformation/DH_4002149
	Further evaluation of the scheme by NFER started in May 2009, and is expected to be published sometime later this year.

Vulnerable Adults: Protection

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the publication of the Government's response to its consultation, No secrets: guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The consultation on the review of No Secrets was comprehensive and wide-ranging.
	We were pleased that such a large number of people contributed to the review. A wide range of professionals, totalling approximately 9,000 and including social workers, health staff, police officers, probation staff, lawyers and many others, participated. We were particularly pleased that some 3,000 members of the public took part, including those with learning difficulties, older people, those with mental health problems and people from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, who came to the consultation events and debated and discussed the many issues with us.
	The summary of the responses was published in July this year, together with all the responses from organisations. The analysis and consideration of such a large volume of responses takes time; these are complex matters, which cut across health, social care and the criminal justice system. The Government response are being prepared by four Departments; the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General's Office and the Department of Health.
	We are examining all the issues raised and plan to make an announcement later this year.

Business Council for Britain: Finance

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what costs the Business Council for Britain has incurred in the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: BIS provides secretariat support for the Business Council for Britain. Since it was established in June 2007, the Business Council has incurred a sum of 870 for hospitality, but no other costs for travel or other expenses.

Business: Government Assistance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much had been lent by each approved lender under the Enterprise Finances Guarantee scheme since 14 January 2009.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 12 October 2009
	In relation to the amount of lending made by individual approved lenders I consider it important, at this stage, to maintain the confidentiality of information exchanged between Capital for Enterprise Limited (CFEL), which administers EFG on behalf of BIS, and participating lenders to maintain the trust of lenders using EFG and to maximise its use and effectiveness.
	However, as of 7 October, over 860 million of eligible applications from over 7,500 firms has been granted, being processed or assessed by 27 active lenders. Of which, over 5,600 businesses have been offered loans totalling over 575 million.
	CFEL and BIS closely monitor lending under the scheme, and the Department via CFEL is in regular contact with the central EFG teams for each approved lender.

Business: Insurance

Mark Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2009,  Official Report, column 2067W, on business insurance, what the monetary value of applications approved to date under the Trade Credit Insurance Scheme is.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 12 October 2009
	As of 2 October, the value of cover provided by approved applications under the Trade Credit Insurance Top-up Scheme is 13,029,000.

Gloucester Linkages Project

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to conclude his deliberations on the Gloucester Linkages Project.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has now approved the additional funding of 7.7 million being sought for the Gloucester Economic Linkages Project. I have today written to the South West Regional Development Agency informing them of this decision.

Regional Development Agencies: Pay

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was paid in bonuses to  (a) the Chief Executive and  (b) each board member of each regional development agency in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 4 June 2009
	 The information is as follows.
	1. The financial value of the bonus payments made to RDA Chief Executives stated relates to performance against objectives delivered in the previous year. Details for each RDA are set out in the table.
	2. Board members are not awarded performance related bonuses.
	3. The data exclude London, which is the responsibility of the Mayor.
	
		
			   
			  RDA  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			 AWM 20,697.48 22,341 23,102 
			 EEDA 20,000 22,000 18,000 
			 EMDA 16,515 21,225 22,838 
			 NWDA(1) 22,649 22,649 19,252 
			 ONE 22,594 23,278 23,102 
			 SEEDA 25,500 17,404 24,579 
			 South West RDA(2) 20,212 15,766 16,422 
			 YF(3) 20,000 (3)26,000 17,000 
			 (1) NWDAs bonus payments for 2005/06 and 06/07 were the same as they were both calculated on the 2006/07 salary as 2005/06 award was received late in the year. (2) During 2006/07 SWRDA changed CEO. The figures for this year include costs for two CEOs. (3) During 2005/06, YF changed CEO. The figure for 2006/07 is therefore comprised of bonuses paid to two CEOs and breaks down into separate payments 23,000 and 3,000 respectively.

Shareholder Executive

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what expenditure the Shareholder Executive incurred on external advisory services in each of the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is in the following table:
	
		
			Million 
			 2005-06 4.7 
			 2006-07 4.6 
			 2007-08 (1)3.1 
			 2008-09 (2)5 
			 (1) 2.9 million gross spend less 6 million recovered. (2) 11.4 million gross spend less 6.4 million recovered.

Shareholder Executive

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what expenditure the Shareholder Executive incurred on  (a) car hire,  (b) train travel,  (c) air travel,  (d) hotels and  (e) restaurants in each of the last four years; and what proportion of such expenditure was incurred in respect of the Corporate Finance Practice.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows expenditure incurred by Shareholder Executive (ShEx) in each area for each of the last four financial years and how much of this was incurred by Corporate Finance Practice (CFP). We do not have a breakdown for expenditure incurred in  (e) restaurants as such claims are made as part of wider subsistence claims.
	
		
			  000 
			   Car hire (taxis)  Rail travel  Air travel  Hotels 
			  2005-06 
			 ShEx 22.4 20.9 38.2 3.4 
			 CFP 1.5 3.2 4.9 0.4 
			  
			  2006-07 
			 ShEx 17.8 18.6 9.3 5.9 
			 CFP 1.1 5.2 4.4 0.8 
			  
			  2007-08 
			 ShEx 11.3 23.2 12.0 6.4 
			 CFP 1.1 4.8 2.7 0.9 
			  
			  2008-09 
			 ShEx 13.6 44.6 20.6 4.9 
			 CFP 0.5 5.8 0.3 0.3

Shareholder Executive

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Shareholder Executive spent on staff entertainment in each of the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is in the following table:
	
		
			
			 2005-06 0 
			 2006-07 170 
			 2007-08 420 
			 2008-09 555

Shareholder Executive

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of progress towards achieving the Government's target for asset sales from the Shareholder Executive in each of the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have announced a target of securing 16 billion from asset and property disposals for the period to end-March 2014. Of this, 3 billion is expected to come from asset sales. Shareholder Executive is working with HM Treasury and other asset-owning Departments to progress this work. An update on progress against this target will be included in the autumn pre-Budget report.
	Shareholder Executive has not previously been set targets for asset sales.

Students: Loans

Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of the amount owing to the Student Loans Company in repayments and loans;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of students who owe money for  (a) tuition fee loans and  (b) maintenance loans.

David Lammy: Provisional information shows that at the end of financial year 2008-09 the total student loan balance for England was 25.97 billion. This includes loans not yet due for repayment and covers fee loans and maintenance loans, including the older mortgage style loans. At the same point in time there were 962,300 borrowers with tuition fee loans. There were 2,866,000 borrowers with maintenance loans, of whom 298,200 had the older mortgage style loans.

Members: Correspondence

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2009, on Dartford Creek cable bridge, whether his Department received a letter dated 3 August 2009 from the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford on the subject.

David Kidney: I can confirm that the hon. Member's letter dated 3 August 2009 was received by the Department. I understand that my Noble Friend the Minister of State responded in September 2009.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will estimate the cost of extending education maintenance allowance to all school leavers entering further education; and if he will make a statement.

Iain Wright: EMA was introduced as an incentive to encourage more young people from lower income households to stay on in post compulsory learning, and to address the issue that the UK had one of the lowest post-16 participation rates in OECD countries. The scheme was piloted from 1999 and rolled out nationally, to consecutive cohorts of learners in full-time education, from September 2004. It was extended to trainees in unwaged training provision in 2006.
	We have previously estimated that, to have made the lowest level of EMA (the 10 per week payment) available to all learners not already receiving it would have increased expenditure by around 300 million in the 2007/08 academic year. We have not estimated the cost for 2009/10 and do not plan to do so. We believe that, to be effective, state support needs to be targeted where there is most need.

Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent estimate he has made of the average annual cost to schools of delivering  (a) Key Stage 1 and 2 national tests,  (b) GCSEs and  (c) A-levels and AS-levels; and if he will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The National Curriculum tests for Key Stage 1 and 2 are made freely available to schools.
	For GCSEs, A-Levels and AS-Levels the Department began collecting information in 2002-03 in sufficient detail to answer this question. No comparable data is available for previous years. The information in the table below covers the combined costs of all relevant examination entry fees, including GCSEs, A/AS levels and GNVQs, and any accreditation costs related to pupils. We do not collect separate data on each type of qualification.
	
		
			  Examination Fees 
			   (E21)( 1) ()( 2) 
			 2002-03 155,611,000 
			 2003-04 173,843,000 
			 2004-05 198,227,000 
			 2005-06 220,056,000 
			 2006-07 240,861,000 
			 2007-08(3) 265,305,000 
			 (1). Includes expenditure by local authority maintained schools in England on the costs of examination entry fees, and costs of accreditation related to pupils (the payments centres make to awarding bodies to register with them to take their qualification). This includes GCSEs, A/AS levels and GNVQs; it excludes the cost of exam resources like test papers, or administration costs in schools. (2). Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand pounds. (3). 2007-08 data remains provisional and subject to change.  Source:  http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/localauthorities/section52/subPage.cfm? action=section52.defaultID=58 (Budget Data Archive)

Outreach Workers

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many outreach workers are expected to be employed through the 79 million expenditure for outreach workers up to 2011 announced by his Department;
	(2)  how many outreach workers were employed in Sure Start Children's Centres in each quarter for which information is available; and what qualifications such workers are required to have.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not collect information on how many outreach workers have been, or are expected to be, employed by 2011 in Sure Start children's centres. Staffing levels in children's centres are a matter for local management by local authorities and their partner agencies. The Government's Sure Start Children's Centres: Phase 3 Planning and Delivery document suggests that in the most disadvantaged areas there should be at least three outreach workers per children's centre. In less disadvantaged areas, local authorities will decide on the best approach based on their assessment of local needs.
	The additional funding which the Government have made available each year since 2008 means that local authorities can increase the number of outreach workers in centres serving the most disadvantaged communities by two, in addition to the funding for one outreach worker per children's centre that had already been included in local authorities' Sure Start early years and child care grant. Funding for outreach is not a separate sum of money allocated to local authoritiesthey decide how to allocate funding to individual children's centres in their area to meet the needs in each community.
	The qualifications required for practitioners engaged in outreach in Sure Start children's centres will depend on the different job roles and purposes developed in each centre, which will be in response to local need. Relevant qualifications include those from child care, family support, social care, counselling, teaching and community work. The Sure Start children's centres practice guidance makes clear the expectation that children's centres should be working towards all staff being trained to at least NVQ level 2.

Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding he expects to allocate to the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's budget for 2009-10, which includes funding for Ofqual, is 188 million.
	There has been no decision on funding for 2010-11.

Departmental Official Cars

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on hire vehicles in each of the last five financial years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Spending by the Treasury on car hire in the last five years is set out in the following table. In 2007 the Treasury and the Office of Government Commerce corporate services merged to create the Treasury Group Shared Services, which works across two sites (one in London and one in Norwich) The programme realised savings of 1.9 million, as reported in table 4a of the addendum to the Autumn Performance Report 2008, available from:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/apr2008_addendum120509.pdf
	
		
			   Amount  ( 000 ) 
			 2008-09 7 
			 2007-08 7 
			 2006-07 6 
			 2005-06 3 
			 2004-05 3

Departmental Rail Travel

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on first class rail travel for civil servants in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information on the number and class of tickets purchased is not normally held, because the Treasury's accounting system records the costs of travel but not the number or type of tickets bought. However, the Treasury's travel management company provided information on the number and type of tickets purchased through them covering travel by all members of the Department, including Ministers.
	The combined spending of HM Treasury and the Debt Management Office on UK and overseas first class rail travel was 546,000 in 2006-07, 447,000 in 2007-08 and 379,000 in 2008-09. Tickets bought but subsequently refunded are excluded and some tickets are bought directly by the traveller, so this information is not a complete record of all tickets purchased.
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the 'Civil service Management Code' and the 'Ministerial Code'.

Financial Services Authority's Retail Distribution

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the number of independent financial advisers who will be required to requalify as a result of implementation of the proposals in the Financial Services Authority's Retail Distribution Review.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Retail Distribution Review is a matter for the FSA, as the independent regulator. The FSA's current estimate is that less than half of Independent Financial Advisors will need to gain a new qualification. However, this estimate is made difficult because there is currently no register of the relevant information, the qualification requirements have not been finalised and Independent Financial Advisors gain new qualifications continually.

Taxation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what terms and conditions apply to the agreements made by the Government for amnesties for British taxpayers with accounts in  (a) Liechtenstein and  (b) British overseas territories; what the reasons are for such terms and conditions in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Two separate arrangementsthe New Disclosure Opportunity (NDO) and Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility (LDF)-were launched on 1 September 2009.
	Both provide taxpayers with an incentive to disclose voluntarily income, gains and assets hidden offshore and pay back taxes together with interest and penalties. The NDO is the last opportunity for people to come forward voluntarily and receive favourable penalties. If they do not, they will be leaving themselves open to investigation and potential criminal prosecution after 30 November 2009 when the notification window closes.
	Details of the terms and conditions of both of these arrangements are available on the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/disclosure/liechtenstein-disclosure.htm
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/offshoreaccounts/feature-terms.htm

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the Equality and Human Rights Commission's  (a) budget and  (b) estimated expenditure on interim staff is for 2009-10.

Maria Eagle: Costs and projected spend on interim staff for 2009-10 is as follows:
	
		
			  000 
			   Budget  Actual 
			 2009-10  (1)6,592 
			 (1 )Provisional 
		
	
	There was no budget set for agency or interim staff costs. These costs were managed within the overall budget for staffing.
	The Commission are currently undertaking a mid-year review of all budgets so the 2009-10 budget is subject to change.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the Equality and Human Rights Commission's budget for interim staff was in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission came into existence in October 2007. Interim staff costs from October 2007 are as follows:
	
		
			   Actual (000) 
			 October 2007 to March 2008 1,818 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 6,247 
		
	
	There was no budget set for agency or interim staff costs. These costs were managed within the overall budget for staffing.

Charity Commission

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what declaration of political activity has been made by each  (a) Commissioner and  (b) Executive Director of the Charity Commission;
	(2)  what the total annual monetary remuneration of each commissioner of the Charity Commission is, including  (a) expenses and  (b) monies paid to compensate for tax liability.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the commission to reply.
	  Letter from Andrew Hind, dated October 2009:
	As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Questions that ask for a list of declarations of political activities made (292597) and the total annual monetary remuneration of each Board member including expenses and any monies paid to compensate for tax liability (292598).
	Appointments to the Commission's non-executive Board (as 'Members of the Commission') only came under the formal regulation of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) in February this year, so a declaration of political activity has not yet been required from the majority of our Board members. The Chair, however, was re-appointed in July under OCPA's formal regulation, so a declaration of political activity was made then. That declaration was that the Chair is inactive politically. The senior Executive team - me and the four Executive Directors, are all Senior Civil Servants and thus abide by the Civil Service Management Code and contractual commitments to impartiality; all of us are politically inactive.
	We have a comprehensive biographical section and Register of Interests available publicly on our website, respectively at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/tcc/commissioners.asp and http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/tcc/decint.asp. These provide further details of the Commission's Board members' and senior executives' backgrounds.
	Details of the remuneration of Members of the Commission are shown in our 2008/09 Resource Accounts, available in the House Library and on our website at http://www.charity commission.gov.uk/Library/spr/pdfs/resac0809.pdf. For ease, I attach at Annex A the relevant table (extended slightly to reflect the compensation for tax liability and the context of this letter) from these accounts. Members of the Commission are remunerated at a rate of 350 a day. The terms of their appointments are for 4-6 days a month for the two legally-qualified Members and 2-3 days a month for the others. The Chair's appointment is for a minimum of three-days-a-week.
	Expenses for 2008/09 are also published on our website at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/tcc/expenses.asp and I attach this table at Annex B. We will be publishing, in the next few weeks, the first six months' of expenses claimed / paid in 2009/10.
	I hope this is helpful and please do let me know if you wish to discuss or need anything further.
	
		
			  Annex A: 2008-09 remuneration (audited) 
			   2008-09 remuneration (000) 
			 Dame S. Leather DBE(1) (Chair) 80-85 
			 J. Williams(1) (Member) 20-25 
			 T. Woodcraft(1) (Member) 5-10 
			 Simon Jones(2) (Member) 15-20 
			 Sharmila Nebhrajani(2) (Member) 5-10 
			 Dr. Andrew Purkis OBE(2) (Member) 10-15 
			 Theo Sowa(2) (Member) 10-15 
			 Simon Wethered(2) ((Legally-qualified) Member) 20-25 
			 John Wood(2) ((Legally-qualified) Member) 15-20 
			 (1) Indicates part-time non-Executive appointed on a three-year fixed term contract, with the option of extension or reappointment. J. Williams and T. Woodcraft transferred to the new contracts for members on 4 January 2008 and 1 May 2008 respectively, and since transfer, receive the same remuneration as those members appointed since 1 July 2007. (2) Members appointed since July 2007 receive a daily fee of 350. No pension contributions are paid.  Note: In addition to the above, Dame Suzi Leather in accordance with her contract of employment received additional payments amounting to 25,403 in respect of reimbursement of travel and subsistence costs arising from her home base being out of London. The Charity Commission meets the resulting tax liability of 22,355 for this contractual commitment. 
		
	
	 Annex B: Charity Commission expenses incurred by board members and the senior executive team
	In line with its commitment to transparency and openness, the Charity Commission has decided to publish board members', chief executive's and directors' expenses online. This publication of expenses covers the financial year 2008-09 (1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009) for each board member and director by significant expense classsee following table.
	Expenses will be published hereafter quarterly, i.e. covering the previous three months. These expenses will be scrutinised by the Charity Commission's Audit Committee every six months.
	
		
			   Subsistence  Mileage  Accommodation  Rail  Flights  Taxis  Bus/  Coach  Parking  Postage  Food  Total 
			  Board members
			 Dame S. Leather (Chair) 125.03 102.72 330.23 1,110.06  4,697.22 6,365.26 
			 J. Williams286.43  30.00 316.43 
			 T. Woodcraft66.43 1.08  67.51 
			 S. Jones  24.80 815.69 2,086.30  124.50  2.00 8.95 223.81 3,286.05 
			 S. Nebhrajani23.48  53.00 76.48 
			 A. Purkis89.91   89.91 
			 T. Sowa   91.29 280.23  9.006.35 386.87 
			 S. Wethered   91.41 267.36  58.69 417.46 
			 J. Wood   91.29 149.58  32.0027.41 300.28 
			 Total 125.03 127.52 1,419.91 4,359.78 0.00 5,004.41 0.00 2.00 10.03 257.57 11,306.25 
			 
			  Directors
			 A. Hind (CEO)   864.92 2,248.17 63.43 681.69 9.00   139.48 4,006.69 
			 R. Chapman 86.88  407.06 2,473.70 491.78 835.30 4,294.72 
			 K. Dibble 232.03 28.80 658.58 1,437.22  443.77 2,800.40 
			 N. Allaway  140.80 451.40 3,687.60 114.00 6.00 1.50 14.50   4,415.80 
			 D. Locke 1,146.02  3,001.24 4,705.30  444.9015.89 9,313.35 
			 Total 1,464.93 169.60 5,383.20 14,551.99 669.21 2,411.66 10.50 14.50  155.37 24,830.96 
			 
			 Grand total 1,589.96 297.12 6,803.11 18,911.77 669.21 7,416.07 10.50 16.50 10.03 412.94 36,137.21 
			  Notes: 1. The reported expenses include the cost of all travel, accommodation and other support services for board members, the chief executive and directors. The variation in travel and accommodation expenses between board members reflects their respective time commitments and duties, the range of activities they undertake, the location of their homes and other individual factors. All board members, directors and the chief executive are required to travel around the UK to some extent. 2. The Commission has four offices in England and Wales: London, Liverpool, Newport (Gwent) and Taunton. With the probable exception of the chair and chief executive, the majority of board members' and directors' travel is between these offices. 3. Rail travel and accommodation are mainly booked through central agencies rather than by individuals who then claim the expense back. The costs shown, therefore, are those incurred by individuals rather than 'expenses claimed'. 4. 'Subsistence' covers the allowances payable for significant time out of the office and for overnight stays, at rates agreed with HMRC. 5. Where the board and directors attend key events that are organised centrally and through a 'block booking' by the Commission, e.g. where open board meetings are held away from the London office, the accommodation and food costs are not included as, retrospectively, this would involve disproportionate resource and expense. Events of this type held in 2008-09 were open board meetings in Liverpool and Swansea, the Charity Commission's Annual Public Meeting in London and the board's away day in Hertfordshire. The cost of these would add around 500 in total to each individual's accommodation/food costs.

Former Ministers

Michael Meacher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which former Ministers have been given leave to take up appointments in the private sector within two years of leaving Ministerial office; and which appointment each was given leave to accept.

Tessa Jowell: The Ministerial Code, published in July 2007, states that on leaving office, Ministers must seek advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about any appointments or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office, apart from unpaid appointments in non-commercial organisations.
	Details of advice given by the Committee on appointments taken up by former Ministers are outlined in the Committee's annual reports which are available in the Libraries of the House or on its website at:
	www.acoba.gov.uk

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the responsibilities and remit are of  (a) the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment,  (b) the Homes and Communities Agency's Design and Sustainable Development Team,  (c) the Homes and Communities Agency's Advisory Team for Large Applications,  (d) the Homes and Communities Agency's National Consultancy Unit and  (e) the Homes and Communities Agency's Urban Design Compendium.

John Healey: The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) both have an interest in ensuring high standards in the built environment, and have distinct but complementary roles.
	  (a) CABE is the Government's statutory advisor on architecture, urban design and public space. It promotes education and high standards in architecture, the understanding and appreciation of it and the design, management and maintenance of the built environment. Its statutory functions are set out in Part 8 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 at:
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2005/ukpga_20050016_en_10
	The HCA is the national housing and regeneration agency with a delivery role to create opportunity for people to live in high quality, sustainable places. It provides funding for affordable housing, and brings land back into productive use. It also aims to improve quality of life by raising standards for the physical and social environment and therefore works in a number of different ways to achieve this.
	  (b) The HCA's Design and Sustainable Development Team is responsible for setting standards in respect of all major HCA projects and programmes; developing and trialling new approaches, and developing and demonstrating best practice through exemplar developments including on the use of brownfield land.
	  (c) The Advisory Team for Large Applications provides local planning authorities with a specialist advisory service across the country. This team works with local authorities and the private sector to help unblock and speed up large and complex planning applications. See
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/hca_expertise
	  (d) The HCA's National Consultancy Unit (now the Land and Development Consultancy Unit) provides HCA regional teams and partners with support and advice on their projects in regeneration and growth areas; manages the HCA's property and technical frameworks and those of its delivery partner panels; develops and disseminates specialist best practice in development, placemaking and community involvement.
	  (e) The HCA's Urban Design Compendium is a document that gives urban designers worldwide guidance on the principles of urban design and highlights how these can be applied in practice. See the following for more details:
	www.urbandesigncompendium.co.uk

Consolidated PR

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments the Audit Commission has made to Consolidated PR in the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 19 October 2009:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me for reply. You asked a similar question in May 2009 (pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 12 March 2009, Official Report, column 752W, on publicity, what projects were undertaken by each of the public relations companies hired by the Audit Commission; and for what reason the Commission did not use its own staff in each case).
	We advised that the Audit Commission contracted with Consolidated Communications, a communications and public relations company, in 2006 and 2007 during a period of substantial reorganisation of our publishing and media relations. Consolidated offered advice and support, replacing functions that, temporarily, were not available in house. For this service, the Audit Commission paid a total of 137,700.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.

English Partnerships: Homes and Communities Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial adjustments were made to the land assets of English Partnerships when they were transferred to the Homes and Communities Agency.

John Healey: Since its launch on 1 December, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has operated a single accounting policy, which harmonised the policies of its various predecessor bodies, namely: English Partnerships (EP consisting of the Commission for New Towns (CNT) and the Urban Regeneration Agency (URA)), the investment arm of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities.
	Since its creation, the HCA carries development assets at market value. Before the creation of HCA, development assets were carried at the lower of cost (at time of purchase/transfer) and estimated market value in CNT, and at the lower of current replacement cost and net realisable value in URA. As a result of this, the following accounting policy valuation adjustments were made at the point of transfer of these assets from EP to the HCA, set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Land development assets  (so excluding other assets such as debtors) 
			   ( million) 
			   English Partnerships  Commission for New Towns  Urban  Regeneration Agency 
			 Net assets at time of merger 703 222 481 
			 Accounting policy adjustments 394 384 10 
			 Restated net assets at time of merger 1097 606 491

Financial Dynamics

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 304W, on departmental procurement, what the purpose was of the payments made to Financial Dynamics; and what subsequent payments have been made to the company.

Barbara Follett: The payments made to Financial Dynamics in the financial year 2007-08 were for advertising and publicity services. A subsequent payment of 5,816 was made in September 2008 for conference set-up costs.

Government Office for London

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much programme expenditure was paid via the Government Office for London in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available; and what the administrative cost of the Government Office for London was during that period.

Rosie Winterton: The total programme expenditure for the financial year 2008-09 for the Government Office for London was 148,373,713.
	The total administrative costs for the financial year 2008-09 for the Government Office for London was 15,871,409.

Government Offices for the Regions: Mass Media

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 249-50W, for what reasons media monitoring services were contracted by or on behalf of each Government Office for the Regions which used them in each of the three years; and which companies provided the services used by each such office in each of the three years.

Rosie Winterton: In the past, a number of Government offices have taken media monitoring contracts to ensure we can monitor and respond to issues and concerns of residents in the region, and to help inform our role in working with placesboth to challenge and support their delivery for their residents, and to monitor and feedback to Whitehall Departments.
	Local means of doing this have varied between in-house and use of contracted services, but over the last two years the Government office network has driven efficiency savings by taking out a consistent contract for each GO.
	As of this year, there has been one media monitoring contract with TNS Media Monitoring Services which covers the whole network.
	
		
			  Media monitoring providers for Government offices in the last three years 
			  Government office  Year  Provider 
			 GO East. 2006-07 Central Office of Information (COI) 
			  2007-08 TNS Media Monitoring Services 
			  2008-09 TNS Media Monitoring Services(1) 
			
			 GO North East 2006-07 COI 
			  2007-08 COI 
			  2008-09 TNS Media Monitoring Services(1) 
			
			 GO London 2006-09 Meltwater News 
			
			 GOYH 2006-07 No record kept locally 
			  2007-08 COI 
			  2008-09 TNS Media Monitoring Services(1) 
			
			 GOEM 2008-09 TNS Media Monitoring Services(1) 
			
			 GOSW 2006-07 COI 
			  2007-08 COI 
			  2008-09 Meltwater News 
			
			 GONW 2008-09 TNS Media Monitoring Services(1) 
			 (1) In 2008-09 the network contracted media monitoring services on behalf of five Government offices.

Government Offices Regional Coordination Unit

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the budget of the Government Offices Regional Coordination Unit is for 2009-10; how many staff it employs; and what its function is.

Rosie Winterton: The Regional Coordination Unit ceased to exist on 30 April 2009. A new structure, the Government Office Network Centre and Services, came into being on 1 May 2009.
	The Government Office Network Centre and Services provides the Secretariat for the Network Governance Committees, the Council of Regional Ministers provides support for Regional Ministers and the Government's work with regional grand and select committees. It also leads the Network strategy and communications arrangements.
	The running cost budget for Regional Coordination Unit and Government Office Network Centre and Services for 2009-10 is 5.8 million.
	As at 1 October 2009, there are 28.6 full-time equivalent staff working for Government Office Network Centre and Services GONCS. 73.1 full-time equivalent staff have transferred to Department of Communities and Local Government line management.

Home Information Packs

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on the home information pack programme since its inception.

John Healey: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on February 2008,  Official Report, column 1313W. Since then an additional 4,543,432 has been spent on Home Information Packs up to the end of the 2008-09 financial year.

Homes and Communities Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role the Homes and Communities Agency has in the regional planning process.

John Healey: The Homes and Community Agency (HCA) deploys 5 billion of public investment in housing and regeneration and should therefore be a key participant in the regional planning process.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 20 July 2009,  Official Report, column 813W, on housing, what information his Department holds on the number of newspapers which printed the article by the Minister for Housing and Planning.

John Healey: An article I wrote appeared in a number of local and regional newspapers. The article was made available to newspapers through COL CLG does not hold a central record of the total number of newspapers the article appeared in.

Housing: Energy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his Department's most recent estimate is of the level of average annual carbon dioxide emissions for a domestic dwelling from heat loss.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	The latest estimate of average CO2 emissions for a domestic dwelling due to energy use for heating the rooms is around two tonnes per year. This is based on data published in 2008 by the Buildings Research Establishment.
	Household energy consumption and the related emissions can be reduced significantly through the installation of basic, low-cost insulation measures to reduce heat loss through the building fabric. For example, energy use for space heating can be reduced by about 25 per cent. through installation of cavity wall insulation.
	Electricity: 10,900.86. The electricity tariff is a 100 per cent. renewable supply.
	Gas: 1,338.59
	Water: 3,616.58
	Disposal of waste: 910.76. 8,217kg of waste was produced in that period, of which, 49.4 per cent. was recycled. The breakdown and record of the cost of the individual waste elements that are sent to landfill, 'energy from waste' or to recycling is not held centrally by DECC and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Housing: Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons local authorities are ineligible for Kickstart Housing Delivery funding.

John Healey: The aim of the Kickstart programme is to unlock stalled sites in England for the development of high-quality, mixed tenure homes. Local authorities are note eligible to apply for funding from the Kickstart Housing Delivery fund as there is a separate funding pot available to authorities to deliver new social housing on land they already own and that can be developed only by them. Where a local authority has appointed a delivery partner, for example through a disposal or development agreement to bring forward a site for housing development, the delivery partner can apply. The successful projects from round one of the local authority new build programme were announced in September. 49 local authorities, covering every region of the country, will receive a share of 130 million Government funding to build over 2,000 homes.

Local Government: Standards

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which data collections from local authorities that were part of the best value performance indicator set and are not part of the national indicator set his Department is continuing to obtain.

Rosie Winterton: Best value performance indicators (BVPIs) were replaced by the new national indicator set on 1 April 2008. However, some of the data used to measure BVPIs forms part of larger data returns, which continue to be collected for uses such as financial management and to inform policy direction. Wherever we have been able to identify such data, the relevant BVPIs are listed in the following tables. In addition, the first table lists 16 former BVPI questions which were included in the new Place Survey in order to provide a balanced questionnaire and maximise the response rate; and the second table lists seven fire and rescue service BVPIs which are not collected directly but are available to CLG through the joint FRS/CLG incident recording system.
	
		
			  Data collected from local authorities 
			  BVPI number  BVPI name 
			 9 Percentage of council tax collected 
			 10 Percentage of non-domestic rates collected 
			 150 Expenditure per head of population 
			 63 Average SAP rating of all HRA dwellings 
			 66a Percentage of rent collected (percentage) 
			 66c Rent written off as not collectable as percentage of LA's rent roll (percentage) 
			 66d Rent collection and arrears recovery: evictions 
			 69 Percentage of rent lost through vacants (percentage) 
			 72 Percentage of urgent repairs completed within Government time limits (percentage) 
			 73 Average time taken to complete non-urgent repairs (days) 
			 202 Number of rough sleepers 
			 212 Average re-let time (days) of HRA stock 
			 106 New homes on previously developed land 
			 200a Plan Making: Development Plan 
			 200b Plan Making: Milestones 
			   
			  Former BVPIs included in the Place Survey  
			 3 Overall satisfaction with council 
			 4 Satisfaction with complaints handling 
			 89 Satisfaction with cleanliness 
			 90a Satisfaction with waste collection 
			 90b Satisfaction with waste recycling (local facilities) 
			 90c Satisfaction with waste disposal (local tips) 
			 103 Satisfaction with transport information 
			 104 Satisfaction with bus services 
			 CPA E14 Satisfaction with transport informationthose who have seen information in the last year 
			 CPA E15 Satisfaction with bus servicesthose who have used the bus service in the last year 
			 119a-e Satisfaction with cultural recreational facilities 
			 119a Sports and leisure facilities 
			 119b Libraries 
			 119c Museums and galleries 
			 119d Theatres and concert halls 
			 119e Parks and open spaces 
		
	
	
		
			  Data collected from fire and rescue authorities 
			  BVPI  number  BVPI name 
			 11a Top 5 per cent. earners: women 
			 11b Top 5 per cent. earner: minority ethnic communities 
			 11c Top 5 per cent. earners: with a disability 
			 12 Working days lost due to sickness absence 
			 13 Voluntary leavers/staff 
			 14 Percentage of early retirements 
			 15 Percentage of ill health retirements 
			 16a Percentage of employees with a disability 
			 17a Percentage of black and ethnic minority employees 
			 146i Calls to malicious false alarms: not attended 
			 146ii Calls to malicious false alarms: attended 
			 144 Accidental dwelling fires confined to room of origin 
			   
			  Available to CLG through the joint FRS/CLG incident recording system  
			 206iii Deliberate fires: secondary (excluding vehicles) 
			 206iv Deliberate fires: secondary (in vehicles) 
			 207 Fires in non-domestic premises 
			 208 Escaping unharmed from accidental dwelling fires 
			 209i Smoke alarms: activated 
			 209ii Smoke alarms: not activated 
			 209iii Smoke alarms: none fitted

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many households in each Government Office Region have received financial support from the Preventing Repossession Fund since its inception;
	(2)  how many households have received financial support from the Repossessions Prevention Fund.

John Healey: The 20 million Preventing Repossessions Fund was announced by the Chancellor in the Budget to enable local authorities to offer small loans to families at risk of homelessness through repossession or eviction. This forms part of the range of assistance that has been put in place at every stage to help households struggling to pay their mortgage. Information about the number of households who have received a payment from the fund will be published later this year.

North East Economic Forum

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the North East Regional Assembly and its successor body has provided to the North East Economic Forum.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has provided no direct funding to the North East Economic Forum. We can confirm that neither the North East Assembly nor its successor body have made any payments to the North East Economic Forum.
	Since its establishment in 2005, the North East Economic Forum has received 155,190.44 from One North East to support its activities. This funding has supported costs associated with three major regional conferences and a number of associated events.

Shelter: Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding his Department is making available to Shelter as part of the money advice partnership scheme.

John Healey: Communities and Local Government has provided up to 1.4 million of funding to Shelter for money advice services in 2009-10 to support delivery of Homeowners Mortgage Support and the Mortgage Rescue Scheme. In addition, we have provided 1.77 million to fund the National Homelessness Advice Service (NHAS) in 2009-10, a partnership between Shelter and the Citizens Advice Bureaux which provides specialist advice on homelessness prevention.

Social Rented Housing: Rents

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his most recent estimate is of the increase in rents in  (a) council housing and  (b) housing association social housing predicted over each of the next three years as part of his Department's Target Rent Scheme.

Ian Austin: Social rents are expected to rise in accordance with the rent restructuring formula, which allows for an average annual increase of RPI plus 0.5 per cent., with RPI set at the end of September in the year preceding. We do not have specific estimates for increases over the next three years.
	The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) regulates registered social landlords (RSLs) in England to ensure that they provide decent homes and services for tenants. To protect tenants, TSA regulation places a limit on the maximum amount by which rents can rise each year. Rent can be increased by a maximum of RPI plus 0.5 per cent., plus 2 per week for individual rents that are below target levels.
	In July, as part of a consultation on draft directions to the Tenant Services Authority, the Government published proposals relating to the regulation of rents set by registered social landlords after 1 April 2010. These proposals are based on a continuation of the rent restructuring policy set out in the document 'Guide to Social Rent Reforms' which was published by the Government in March 2001. The consultation paper is available via the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/tsadirections
	The Department intends to publish the final directions shortly.

Standards Board for England

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of the Standards Board for England was for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The 2008-09 annual report and accounts for the Standards Board for England, available on the Standards Board's website at:
	www.standardsforengland.gov.uk
	shows the Standards Board for England cost the Government, through grant in aid, 8,285,000 for that year.

Standards Board for England: Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the budget of  (a) the Standards Board for England and  (b) the Adjudication Panel was in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Rosie Winterton: As stated in table 2 of the Standards Board for England's corporate plan for 2009-12, 'The changing role of the Standards Board for England', available on their website at:
	www.standardsforengland.gov.uk
	the planned budget for the Standards Board is 7,420,000 in 2009-10 and 7,372,000 in 2010-11.
	Responsibility for the Adjudication Panel for England rests with the Ministry of Justice.

Standards for England

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to the public purse has been of the re-branding of the Standards Board for England as Standards for England.

Rosie Winterton: The rebranding, which the Standards Board for England decided to undertake and to find from within its budgets of 8,285,000 for 2008-09 and 7,420,000 for 2009-10, cost 43,000.
	These costs arise from a branding and identity review which the board considered necessary given its changed remit, as recommended by the Committee for Standards in Public Life, to become the strategic regulator for council standards committees and from subsequent development of the brand.

Tribal Consulting

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reason Tribal Consulting has been employed by his Department to oversee the Total Place initiative; what Tribal's remit is; and what the cost is of the contract.

Rosie Winterton: Tribal consulting has been employed to work on two contracts for the Total Place initiative.
	The 'Customer Insight' project assesses the use of information on the needs of people by the Total Place pilots. Specifically it asks what sort of information is available, how it is used and does this knowledge change how local services are provided to the public. It will cost 60,000 (excluding VAT).
	The remit of the 'Spend Counting and Deep Dive' is to identify common issues raised by the Total Place pilots and what bearing central Government budgeting has on these, to better understand how the many sources of public sector funding arrive in a local area and to produce an evaluative report on the Total Place initiative. It will cost 218,000 (excluding VAT).